Featured Image Credit: PA
Topics: Football, Mino Raiola, Mario Balotelli
Nasir Jabbar
Mario Balotelli has responded to false reports claiming that super-agent Mino Raiola had passed away on Thursday.
Balotelli, who's represented by Raiola, hit out at reports from Italy stating the 54-year-old died following a serious illness.
He expressed his anger online, saying the media outlets who shared the disputed reports should be 'ashamed'.
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The former Manchester City and Liverpool striker wrote on his Instagram story: "You need to be first huh? Shame on you and seriously be ashamed of your education, respect, values and responsibilities! #StayStrongMino."
Balotelli also uploaded a picture of him and Raiola, accompanied with the caption: "Mino, why do they always say bullsh*t?
"Mario, I told you when you were a child that newspapers are sellers of bullsh*t to get to the top! The important thing is to always get back up."
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Balotelli and Raiola have had a working relationship for a number of years, with the Italian agent engineering his moves to Inter Milan and Man City and then onto AC Milan and Liverpool.
A tweet from Raiola's Twitter account also slammed reports of his death.
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A message appeared on his Twitter which reads: "Current health status for the ones wondering: pi**ed off second time in 4 months they kill me. Seem also able to ressuscitate [sic]."
Alberto Zangrillo, head of the Intensive Care Unit at San Raffaele Hospital in Milan, wasn't happy with the false reports either.
He told Italian news agency ANSA: "I am outraged by phone calls from so-called journalists speculating on the life of a man who is fighting."
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It's understood Raiola has been battling an unspecified illness for some time and his entourage said he underwent 'routine checks' at San Raffaele in January.